John Carroll head coach Mike Moran accurately predicted his team would have a target on its back at the beginning of the season due to its high national ranking. For the second time this week, a league opponent took dead aim at that target and knocked off the Blue Streaks. 

It took 40 minutes and three overtimes to decide, but the host Wilmington Quakers prevailed by a 107-105 score Saturday afternoon in Wilmington, Ohio. 

Box Score

Wilmington had chances to win at the end of both regulation and the first overtime, shook off a seven-point deficit in the second overtime, the survived a last second three-ball to pull off the victory. Wilmington 9second) and John Carroll (first) were the top two teams in the Ohio Athletic Conference preseason coaches poll.

The Blue Streaks trailed early on by a 16-6 count but would force their way to a two-point deficit (46-44) by the end of the half. 

The second half was a back-and-forth affair, as both teams held the lead on several occasions but could not pull away. The largest lead either squad enjoyed was four points, and there were eight ties.

Corey Shontz would give John Carroll an 81-79 lead with 2:13 to play on a lay-up, and then had possession after a missed Wilmington shot with 90 seconds left. However, a turnover led to a Wilmington fast break which Tyler White converted to tie the game at 81-81, starting a series of four consecutive JCU possessions that ended with a miscue. 

The JCU defense was up to the task, however, limiting Wilmington to just one shot in the final minute – a Tyler Ledford jumper that missed the mark with two seconds remaining in regulation.

Wilmington had the lead for most of the first overtime, it would take a Rudy Kirbus three-pointer with 37 ticks left to tie the contest at 88-88. White missed a three-pointer at the buzzer, moving the game to a second overtime. 

John Carroll seemed to take charge in the second extra period, as three-pointer by Michael Hartnett and five straight points by Crozier would stake the Blue Streaks a 97-90 lead with 2:25 to play. But fouls and turnovers by John Carroll allowed Wilmington the opportunity to climb back in. Two free throws by R.J. Brown tied the score at 97-97 with seconds left. 

A missed three-pointer gave Wilmington a chance, but a charge call with five seconds left quickly turned the tables. John Carroll had a last chance but Chris Zajac's shot did not connect, forcing a third extra session. 

This time, it would be Wilmington that would take command as it never trailed at any time during the final five minutes. But JCU still had a chance. Down 107-102 with 29 seconds left after a pair of Brandon Rogers free throws, Kirbus brought the Streaks to within three on a lay-up with 22 seconds left. 

After a Wilmington turnover, Zajac was fouled. He made the first and missed the second intentionally, tapped the rebound to Shontz, who had a chance at a three-pointer but missed.
 
Wilmington (8-1, 3-0 OAC), whose only loss this season is to Cleveland State and now has sole possession of first place in the conference standings, was led by 26 points from White, 23 from Brown and 20 from Ledford. For the game, the Quaker shot 36-73 (.493) from the field and had 12 blocked shots. 

Despite struggling all of the first half from the free throw line (7-15, .467), Wilmington was 25-31 (.806) over the final 35 minutes 

John Carroll (6-2, 2-2 OAC) was paced by 26 points from Kirbus, who was 9-18 from the field and 4-8 from three-point range. Crozier added 21 points and ten rebounds. JCU had a strong regulation effort from the free throw line (17-24, .708), but went 6-13 (.462) in the three overtimes.